


Roller Coaster Ride

by shadowsamurai



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-19
Updated: 2012-06-19
Packaged: 2017-11-08 03:19:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/438554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowsamurai/pseuds/shadowsamurai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Epilogue for 1.5 'Friends & Lovers'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Roller Coaster Ride

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just borrowing things for a while and I promise I'll put everything back exactly how I found it when I've finished. Well, almost exactly how I found it. ;)

CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI

As soon as Catherine heard about the outcome of the case from Warrick, she knew where she would find Grissom. And she had to find him; she had to talk to him, make sure he was alright. Because whether Grissom liked it or not, Catherine knew him very well; she knew the case would have hurt and angered him.

The theme park was quiet when Catherine arrived, and as she headed to the roller coaster, she saw a lone figure in one of the cars.

"How many times it that?" she asked the ride operator.

He rolled his eyes. "I've lost count. Surprised he ain't dizzy by now." He looked at Catherine. "Friend of yours?"

Catherine nodded. "I was hoping to talk to him."

The ride operator snorted. "Good luck with that."

"Yeah, I think I'll need it," she muttered in reply as she watched the roller coaster coming down its final stretch. Even in the distance, she could see Grissom expression and she knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"You had enough yet?" the ride operator asked Grissom when the coaster finally stopped.

Grissom shook his head and handed him another twenty dollar bill. "Again. Please."

"Can we talk?" Catherine asked, stepping up to the car.

Grissom blinked, only mildly surprised she was there. "After."

"No, Griss, now."

But he shook his head. "Later, Catherine." He turned and nodded to the ride operator, and before Catherine could say anything else, the roller coaster was moving again.

"Damn," she muttered. "Why does he always have to do this?" She threw her hands into the air in exasperation, and decided to grab a soda while she was waiting for the ride to end again.

"You should go home," Grissom said when the coaster came to halt, but he didn't move from it.

"I will, but first I want to know you're okay."

"I'm fine."

Catherine rolled her eyes. "You're lying, Grissom. I know you, remember?"

"Then I don't want to talk about it," he replied before turning to the ride operator. "Again."

"Grissom!" Catherine yelled as the coaster set off again. "Bastard!"

Third time the roller coaster stopped, Catherine knew there was only one thing for it. Trying not to shake too much, she climbed into the car and sat next to Grissom.

"Catherine, what are you doing?" he asked, half amused, half frustrated.

"Mountain won't come to Mohammad, so Mohammad's going to the mountain," she replied, handing the ride operator fifty dollars. "But I swear, Grissom, you don't talk to me after this, we won't be talking for a long time."

Grissom was silent as the ride set off, and Catherine knew what he was thinking; she hated roller coasters with a passion, and he was expecting her to yell to have the ride stopped before it got very far.

But Catherine kept quiet, and as the coaster rose up the first 'hill', she found herself enjoying the view of Las Vegas. Suddenly she jumped, and then she looked down. Grissom had taken hold of her hand and given it a gentle squeeze.

Catherine transferred her gaze to his face, and he smiled. "Thank you," Grissom said sincerely.

"You're welc-" The rest of the sentence was lost in a scream as the roller coaster started to descend rapidly.

CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI  
"I might have to have this X-rayed, you know," Grissom said, holding his hand up and flexing his fingers gingerly.

"You took hold of my hand first, and you wouldn't get off that damn ride," Catherine replied. "You deserve it."

Grissom looked at her and then nodded. "You're probably right. I don't deserve you, though."

Catherine smiled. "No, you don't."

"Are you going to give me the 'hypocrite' speech?"

"No, I thought I'd give you a chance to talk first. I'll roll that one out later."

Grissom sighed. "I know I always tell people not to get emotionally involved in cases, but sometimes it's unavoidable."

"Uh huh." Catherine nodded, her expression one of 'I've been trying to tell you that for years'.

Grissom ignored her, like he'd been doing for years. "Those kids were just that; kids. Now one's dead and the other's going to go to jail for his murder. The guy that caused it all, the drug dealer - the adult - is just going to walk free and continue selling that…filth to others."

Catherine leant forward and put a hand on Grissom's arm. "You can't protect everyone, Gil," she told him. "Even the children. Believe me, I know it's difficult to separate yourself from a case at times, but in this job, you've got to." She smiled. "Warrick told me that we have to follow the evidence through to its proper conclusion, whether we like where it takes us or not."

Grissom looked surprised. "Warrick said that?"

"Well, something like that. The point is, Griss, you did your job well; you followed the evidence and found the killer. That's it. You might not like the outcome - and to be honest, I don't blame you - but you've got to let it go."

"I never knew Warrick could be so eloquent."

Catherine smiled. "He has his moments."

"It's not easy."

"Tell me about it."

Grissom suddenly leaned towards her and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you."

"What for?" Catherine asked, surprised.

"Coming on the roller coaster with me. For not giving up on me."

"Well, you're welcome for both, but don't *ever* make me do the first again."

Grissom smiled, his eyes twinkling. "I'll try not to."

FIN


End file.
